Mesa D-800+ or Genzler Amplification Magellan 800?

[Doug Parent]

I'm reconfiguring and looking for an alternative to supplement my Streamliner 900.
This is a great amp, and I'm highly pleased with it, but I'm having problems getting the clarity? hi freq response? articulation? I need in some musical situations that are different than what I've spent most of my life playing up to now.

The Mesa has a definite vibe vs the Genz which is probably be more neutral with more sparkle on top (if it's anything like the Shuttle 9.0 still one of my favorite amps of all time)...... I have not tried the Mesa 800+ ....sold my 800 in favor of a programmable B head, but I wish I had. I wonder if the Genzler might be a little more like a Demeter as compared to an Ampeg? - if you dig my analogy.

 

[npbassman]

I have the Genz and your Revsound 2x10. You want clarity, eh? This rig has it in spades (it relegated my Gk mb500 to backup status). And the great thing is, that contour button is powerful. It goes from sheen to classic thumpy in a heartbeat. I have no experience with the D800+ and I'm sure it's a fine amp, but the Genz with this cab has cured my amp gas. Sounds ever more monsterous with my cn212.

 

[Ewo]

My only experience with a GenzBenz amp was playing it in a music store. It didn't ring my chimes at all (IIRC, it was a Shuttle), but tone goals are always personal.

OTOH, I bought a used Mesa D-800 just to check it out (they're not available in the store, where I live), and the second I heard it I knew it had the voice I liked.

YMMV, as always. Just saying the way the amps hit me. I've never heard a Magellan, but I'm really happy with the D-800 I got first, and the D-800+ I bought based on that experience.

It always comes down to the _sound in your head_, and how you envision a particular piece of gear getting you close to that.

 

[nostatic]

The biggest difference is 2 parametric mid bands on the D800+ vs 1 on the Magellen. That may or may not be important to you (it is to me for certain situations). Ymmv.

 

[mdlewis]

Thanks for all of your comments. Will be calling this one sometime next week.

 

[bkbass2000]

What did you decide?

 

[mdlewis]

I haven't received it yet, but I've decided to go with the Magellan. This was a tough call, as there are a couple of features that I really liked on the Mesa as well as the fact that Mesa has a great reputation and builds in the US. It would have been great to AB the two somewhere, but that wasn't in the cards.

However, I've been pretty happy with my Streamliner and the Magellan's approach to EQ seemed more readily adaptable to the wide range of cabs I'll be powering it with.

 

[bkbass2000]

Awesome! Best of luck and I hope you dig the new Magellan.

 

[tombowlus]

Hard to go wrong with either of those, to be honest. I agree that knob position means very little. Both of these amps are going to be within spitting distance of each other in terms of output power. As previously noted, the Mesa will be a tad more voiced, but I love the feature set on the D-800+ and I can most definitely dial in gorgeous tones with it. The Magellan is just so very easy to use, even on the fly, and it has a very clear and balanced tone, right out of the gate.

Again, two superb choices. There is no wrong answer, here!